


The Batman

by BatBrand



Series: DC Extended Universe [1]
Category: DC Extended Universe
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-06
Updated: 2018-05-06
Packaged: 2019-04-21 15:05:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 6,219
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14287542
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BatBrand/pseuds/BatBrand
Summary: The content is adapted from Year One.The story is part of my DC Extended Universe fanfic series.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> The content is adapted from Year One.  
> The story is part of my DC Extended Universe fanfic series.

A young Bruce walks out from the Monarch Theatre with his parents after watching the 'Mark of Zorro'. Bruce had begged his parents to take him to the theatre to watch the movie. Thomas and Martha like mature adults discuss the flaws of the movies while Bruce thinks of how he would discuss the movie with his friends at school. The happy family enters an alley. It is dangerous to walk into alleys of Gotham in the night. They are a place for muggers and street level thugs. A crooked looking man stares the three as they approach towards him. The man steps in front of the three while pointing a gun. Thomas observed him in the street light. It looked like the poor creature did not have proper food since days. His hands were shaking as he continuously yelled at them to hand over their belongings to him. Martha holds young Bruce close as they both shiver with fear. Thomas steps in front and confronts the man. He raises his left hand and puts his right hand in his pocket. He jumps towards him in hopes of disarming him. The man frightened and confused pulls the trigger involuntarily. His hands shivered as he observed the aftermath of his actions. Not knowing what to do and having a fear of getting caught, he shoots the terrified Martha and pulls the pearl necklace off her neck. He thought points the gun at young Bruce, who was shocked with the event. Bruce with tears in his eyes looks at the man. He wanted to kill Bruce but he felt guilty of his past actions and left the helpless boy. The man ran away while Bruce gazed at the lifeless bodies of his parents. That was the night that changed Bruce's life.

The event left Bruce an orphan and a hopeless young child with no one beside him. Alfred Pennyworth, the butler loyal to Wayne family becomes Bruce's guardian and looked after him for years. He fed him, trained him in hand-to-hand, taught him the ways of life and most of all gave him a warm company. At the age of 17, Bruce left for college to pursue his higher studies because Gotham was no place for a talented mind like him. But something told him, he was not destined to be just Bruce Wayne or a rich businessman like his father was. He was destined to be something more...much more.


	2. The Promise

Alfred along with Vanderveer Wayne, Bruce's uncle and Thomas's younger brother and few other relatives carry two caskets to a graveyard located a few walks from the Wayne Manor. Beneath that graveyard was buried the great men belonging to the Wayne family. From Winslow Wayne, who fought beside Theodore Roosevelt to Alan Wayne, the man who revolutionized Gotham with Wayne Technologies. Now two new graves are dug for Thomas and Martha Wayne. A shocked young Bruce walks alongside his family. He is confused and hopeless. He left the spot and started running away. He unknowingly ran into a nearby forest. He kept running but he did not where he was going. He stumbled upon a hole in the ground. The mouth of the hole at him to Earth. He fell down hard and got hurt. He was confused as to where he ended up at. He looked around and all he saw was darkness. But he observes something in the dark. Strange creatures with glowing eyes. He was terrified. He has no idea of what he should do next. The creatures flew towards him like jets. They were bats. Bruce screamed for help. He thought the bats had eaten away his flesh. Suddenly, Bruce wakes up on his bed realising that he revisited his past in his nightmare. He breathes in deeply and noticed Alfred in the door resting his hand on the door knob. "A bad dream again, I guess", he exclaims. Bruce nods his head and looks at the clock. It is 8 AM. He has to go to the Wayne Enterprise building to host his first meeting as CEO. The company has been at the hands of his uncle Vanderveer Wayne since Thomas's death. Bruce goes to the bathroom for a quick shower. He brushes his teeth. "Are you ready for the meeting? Have you prepared your speech?", asked Alfred.

"Yes, of course!"

 "I fear your night times with those ladies would get into the papers. What was it again... ‘Women in black with katanas stab billionaire playboy Bruce Wayne?'", Alfred asks mockingly. "Would not be the strangest thing I heard from billionaires, mind you. Oliver Queen has topped anything you could do in the 'crazy' department, master Wayne."

He stops for a while and asks, "You are not going to tell them stories about your training with ninjas, are you?".

"It would at least be more interesting than talking about future stock options."

Bruce has been going out in the streets during nights and taking down muggers and criminals. It had made Alfred concerned about Bruce's health.

"You should stop doing this Master Bruce. These are works for the cops. Let them handle it!".

"No, Alfred. If the cops ever did their duty....this city would be safer."

Alfred clears his throat and looks at the Gotham Gazette newspaper he was carrying. He reads out headlines loudly, "James Gordon: The Hero Cop the city deserves" with a brief pause Alfred continues "He looks quite the man. Took down three drug dealers alone."

"It doesn't help Alfred. The real threat is Gotham's corruption. It's people...infected by the virus spread by people they praise."

Alfred asks Bruce, "Why are you doing this?"

Bruce keeps the brush down, and turns back and replies, "Because, I made a promise."

 

Meanwhile, in the streets of Gotham, Detective James Gordon sits in his police car and reads the Gotham Gazette article about him. Gordon has returned to Gotham after 5 years. He was transferred to Miami my five years back by Commissioner Loeb, a corrupt cop. Loeb knew that if Gordon was in the GCPD, his business with the Maronis and Falcones would not last, which is why he was transferred to Miami in the first place. Detective Harvey Bullock, the only other cop in GCPD who wants something good for the city enters the car.

"Want to go for a drink? There's a bar nearby. Sells finest Tequilla!"

Gordon chuckles and replies, "Tequilla in the morning? No, thanks."

Gordon starts driving the car. Harvey observes Gordon's tensed face and ask, "How's your daughter?"

Gordon tenses up a bit.

"I know police kids in Gotham don’t... get treated right. My dad was a cop. I got beaten down a couple of times. Also, If you need help. I'm around"

Gordon's wife had passed away due to malaria during their stay at Miami. His daughter Barbara is 15 and she is the only person Gordon loves and would die for her.

After driving a few kilometers, Harvey asks Gordon to stop. Gordon like a loyal friend stops the car and asks "Why? What is it?"

"Falcone's street level men do their dealing here."

A concerned Gordon looks at Harvey as he leaves the car and runs towards an alley."

Gordon follows him with his hand in the pocket, ready to pull out his gun. The duo observes three men talking. One of them had a suitcase which makes it pretty much obvious that the men are there for a dirty task.

Harvey rushes in and shouts "Put your hands in the air and turn around!"

The three men gets frightened. One of them pulls out a gun at Harvey. He was about to pull the trigger when Gordon shoots him in the chest. Harvey shoots and kills the other while the third starts running.

"Go after him, Jim!", Harvey shouts.

Gordon starts chasing him at a brilliant pace. The man runs through the alley to a road where his path was blocked by Harvey, who was smart enough to pull over the car in front of him. Gordon arrests him and takes him to the police station.

The man is in the interrogation chamber ready to be interrogated by Harvey. Commissioner Loeb with detective Flass, another corrupt cop approaches Gordon. Gordon can see Loeb is afraid but he does not know why.

Loeb asks, "Is that a Maroni or a Falcone thug?"

"I don't know, commissioner", replies Gordon bravely.

Detective Flass asks, "Where did you find them?"

"At the docks."

Flass turns to Loeb and tells him that Maroni and Falcone's thugs do not operate in the docks. Loeb then nods his head as if it was a relief. It was then Gordon knew Loeb was working for or with the Falcones and the Maronis. The three turn to the interrogation chamber, Harvey sits with the man. He asks him, "Who do you work for?"

The man spits on the ground and replies, "I ain't telling you nothing!"

Harvey is an impatient man he gets frustrated and punches him hard in the face. "Now?", asks Harvey.

"No!"

Harvey punches him five times and almost broke his nose. "Listen up!", he says "You better tell us or we inform your family!"

The man looked at him surprised.

"Harvey tells him "Yes, we know where you live. So you better open your mouth!"

The man starts to shiver and says, "He'll kill me if I tell you."

"Who?", Harvey asks.

"Our boss!"

"What's his name?".

The man looks at Harvey and tells him, "We don't know his name but he goes by the name 'Black Mask'!"

Flass turns to Loeb and asks about Black Mask but Loeb does not know who he is. They both leave with a sign of relief on their face. Harvey comes out and Gordon tells him about his suspicion. Harvey replies, "I know, Jimbo. Loeb owes a great debt to the two families. That is the very reason he had you transferred to Miami!" before Gordon could say anything, Harvey tells him, "Listen, donnot try to get into their business. You can get killed."

Gordon with a disgust on his face, replies, "No! I promised myself. I will not sleep unless this city is fixed of it's corruption!" 


	3. Fear

Bruce reaches the Wayne Enterprise building. He is accompanied by Alfred. Everybody in the building looks at him with awe as the six foot tall, 25 year old, rich and handsome billionaire walks in. Bruce walks enters the conference room. He is greeted by his uncle Vanderveer Wayne and his cousin Vanderveer Wayne Jr., who is in charge of Wayne Security. The two cousins share hugs while Vanderveer greets Alfred. Vanderveer jokingly tells him, "You should rest, Alfred. You're getting old!"

Alfred replies cleverly, "Says the man with wrinkles below his eyes!"

They both laugh and hug each other. Bruce then meets Lucius Fox, the man in charge of Wayne Technologies and Wayne Industries. He meets the others and starts his presentation and plans. Everybody seems impressed with his plans and business skills. After an hour of the conference, Bruce ends the meeting. Bruce leaves the building with Alfred. Alfred was impressed and proud. He had promised Thomas and Martha to their graves that he would take care of Bruce and raise him up to a honorable man. Despite being happy about Bruce, he is concerned of his saftey. He wants Bruce to stop going out night being a hooded vigilante but he knows that he cannot stop Bruce from doing it.

Like every night Bruce goes out for his daily patrol. Hiding his face with a black hood. He goes past a brothel where he notices a young girl. She was probably 14 or 15. Bruce was disgusted. Deep in his mind he wondered what new depravity he would see defending this city.

The girl walks towards him and asks, "Wanna split a coke, and by coke, I mean my legs?"

Before Bruce could tell anything. A man runs in yelling, "You pathetic little whore!"

He slaps her in the face and pulls her hair, "Is that how you do business?" the man asks as he pulls her back into the brothel.

The little girl screams. Bruce reaches towards them and separates the man from the girl. "Don't touch her!", he says.

The man yells back at Bruce, "Stay out of this! This is my business!"

Bruce replies with an arrogant voice, "Of course. Using orphan teenage girls as your slave is obviously a business for a filth like you!"

The man pushes Bruce back. Bruce puts all his anger in his fist and punches the man hard in the face. Bruce beats him down to the ground and keeps kicking him. Three men comes out of the brothel yelling and pointing at Bruce. Bruce fight the three of them. While he knocks them down, a woman jumps out of the brothel window and hold the poor young girl. "This is the perfect time, Holly! Let's go!" and runs away with the girl.

Bruce did not want to stay there for long because he feared of revealing his identity in front of the people in eve streets. He flees the place and runs straight to Wayne Manor.

Bruce takes some bandages and enters the trophy room. He does not inform Alfred because he knew he would never let him go out at the night again. Bruce sits down on a sofa and bandages himself. He looks at his father's sculpted potrait. "I promised at your grave, I promised at mother's grave, I promised myself that I wouldn't sleep unless this city is cured.", he says. "I need to put fear in people's heart. Because fear is what suppresses people. What should I do father?", he asks. He stares at his father potrait for a few seconds when a bat breaks the window and enters the room. Bruce gets frightened. The bat sits on his father's potrait. He looks at the creature and in his eyes were the will. The will to be something. The will to be someone.


	4. A Dark Knight Awakens

Gordon sits with Harvey in his office. "You sure you wanna do this?", Harvey asks.

Gordon looks at him and replies, "Yes. Yes I am."

"You know, you can die", Harvey says in a a concerned tone.

"I know. I'm going to show this city, the true faces of people they admire. Because that is the only the city will realise."

"So what is your good cop mutiny plan?", Harvey asks.

Gordon looks at the window from where he could see the corrupted city. "I'm going to talk to Harvey Dent. The DA. He might help us."

Saying that he grabs his coat and leaves the GCPD building. Harvey still worried about him adopts a elder sister attitude and keeps counseling him. After a few minutes ride. They reach Dent's office only to find Dent has digged into it and they share a same motive.

"If you want to make this city a better place, you need to get the top guys. Maronis and Falcones. They run the game.", says Dent. "I've learned they are going to have a meeting soon.", he continues.

Gordon pauses him and asks, "Who?"

"Maroni, Falcone, Mayor Hill and guess who...Loeb.", Dent replies.

"Thanks, Dent."  

"It's a bad place, Detective. Keep your ass safe"

Gordon looks at him for a while and nods. Then leaves with Harvey.

Meanwhile, Bruce returns from Wayne Enterprise to the manor. He gets in his room and gets a rope and a torch. He leaves the manor and goes to the forest behind the manor. Alfred was gardening, he did not notice Bruce leave. Bruce visits his mother and father's grave and starts walking towards his destination. He reaches the hole in which he had fallen on the day of his parent's funeral. Bruce ties himself with the rope and slowly emerges down the hole. He reaches the bottom and takes out his torch. He walks into the darkness as his hands tremble with fear. He aims the torch at a spot where he saw creatures with glowing eyes. Bruce knew it was the bats. The bats that he had been afraid of his entire life. He stood still. He knew he had to overcome his fear. The bats come flying towards him. He screams but he gains his courage the next moment. He stands in between the bats and embraces the fear. He walks in deeper and finds an enormous cave.

After few hours Bruce brings in few stuffs from a safe that he did not let anyone touch since he returned from Nanda Parbat. Alfred finds out Bruce's secret lair and asks of it. Bruce says nothing.

He asks him to cast a bat symbol on a suit that he shows him. He got the suit from Nanda Parbat. He even had gloves which had pointed blades to its wrist. Alfred is shocked to see all those and gets curious to know what Bruce had done in Nanda Parbat.

Bruce visits Luicius Fox the next day and buys some tech from him. Wayne Technologies is America's fifth largest technological industry and producer. Bruce and Luicius have a discussion of expanding their business

Luicius suggests him, "I suggest buying Sionis Industry, it's got the capital to increase Wayne Tech to being the top tech company in America."

"I'll look into it Mr. Fox. I've got few small business to run now."

He bought few big monitor screens and other devices from him. The list of items he bought made Lucius stunned. Yet he happily sells it to him, despite his efforts of rejecting that huge amount of money from him.

He made a thermal vision glass, EMP device and few smoke bombs. He forged blades shaped in bats. Meanwhile, Alfred finishes crafting a perfect bat symbol onto his suit.

Bruce tries it on and turns toward Alfred. Bruce looks at him and says in a dark and gritty voice, "It's about time!"


	5. Black Mask

Bruce wearing his cowl, dressed as a bat, stands on top of a crane from where he looks at the Gotham City Docks. He has heard that thugs and gangs do their dealings there. He spots few mens tanding in the docks.

"It looks like they are waiting for someone", Bruce says to Alfred through his mic.

"They're waiting for their dealers or buyers maybe."

"Seems so."

A few minutes later Bruce spots a car parking infront of the docks. He waits until he sees few crooked men leave the car. The men approaches to the ones waiting in docks. Bruce glides off the crane using his self-designed cape. He slowly and stealthily sneaks behind them. Bruce attempts to eavesdrop. He hears the men arguing.

"Maroni hates dealing with your freak ass leader", one of the men says.

Another man from the other party replies, "Yeah, why not? He's jealous. Black Mask is the king of the city!"

"We'll see who's the king when we take down your ugly ass friends one by one!"

"You think boss cares about Penguin? That guy barely cares about himself."

"Alright enough of the talk give usthe money already!"

One of the men apporach the other party with a suitcase in his hand. They proceed to open it, when Bruce activates his EMP, cutting off electricity in the Docks. 

"What the hell?", the men shout as they look around confused.

Bruce sneak around and takes two of them down and lays them unconcious. One of them spots him and starts shooting. Bruce dodges a few rounds and throws is stun grenade towards them. The men stand stunned shooting aimlessly. He takes down the others except for one. Bruce waits until the man comes back to his senses. The man looks at Bruce. He gets frightened by looking at his glowing eyes in the dark. 

"Who do you work for?", Bruce asks with his deep voice.

The man is shocked and trembling. He was speechless. Bruce asks again, "Who do you work for?"

"Bla-Bla-Bla-Black Mask!", the man replies stuttering.

"And what were you doing here."

"We were here to give money to-to-to Maroni's men."

"Why?"

"Because boss owes him a good amount!"

"Where is your boss?"

"I don't know"

Bruce punches the man hard and asks again, "Where is your Bruce?" He replies, "Sionis Industries!"

Bruce stays quiet for few moments and them knocks him out with a punch. 

Bruce looks to the sky as it starts raining. Thunder rumbles through the sky.

 

Meanwhile, Gordon drives back to his home. He drops Harvey on his way. Harvey sees a black wagon following Gordon's car. He thinks of it as a random car and gets inside his house.

Gordon keeps driving in the rain. He can barely see the road. The rain is terrible. He notices the black wagon. It speeds up and overtakes his car. The wagon stands in front of him. Gordon stays still as he watches two men come out of it. He cannot see who it was but the figure seems familiar to him. He leaves his car. The man wielded baseball bats in their hands. Gordon pulls out his gun and points at them. He is suddenly attacked by a man from behind. Gordon falls down. His head knocked hard onto the ground. He struggles to stand up. One of the men hits him in the head with the bat. His glasses fall off. Gordon looks up at the men. He cannot clearly see them. The men keeps beating him. 

One of the men commands, "That's it, boys. He's had enough. Let's go!"

Gordon recognises the voice. He cannot revolt back. He lies flat on the ground. His head face broken. His blood drains down the street with the rain water. In his mind he thinks of no one but Barbara. 

"Barbara...", he says as he blacks out.

 


	6. The Feast is Over

Bruce sits in his batcave in front of his newly installed 'Batcomputer', as he calls it.

"Alfred, what can you tell me about Sionis Industries?", Bruce asks.

"Only that it was closed down due to political reasons back when Charles Sionis ran for mayor."

"Did he win?"

"Nope, one cannot win an election if Hill's standing in it."

Bruce looks down with a disgust in his face. Alfred continues, "Every election in Gotham is written. Hill uses all the money and muscle powers he can. With men like Maroni, Falcone and Loeb with him, a victory is certain for him."

"Why do people look up to these men?", Bruce asks.

"They don't. They are made to. People have no choice. No hope in this city. Jobs are dying. Colleges are not well funded, hence young talents are not getting a place in this big world."

Bruce looks at the Batcomputer for a while and asks again, "So what happened to the Sionis Industries?"

"He did some digging into the Gotham's internal politics and TRIED to leak everything to the public. Just before he could do it. Hill had him killed. Not only him, his wife and son, Roman

too. Ever since the Sionis Industries has been closed. Why do you want to know, anyways?"

"Mr Fox asked me to try and buy the Sionis land. It was yesterday I learnt from the thugs that this Black Mask resides there."

"Black Mask? Well I've been hearing of that name since quite a good time. He works with Penguin. Ask who's Penguin. He literally runs the underground."

Bruce gets confused and asks, "I thought it was the Maronis and Falcones."

Alfred chuckles and replies, "Falcones and Maronis are just the crime families everybody fear. Penguin is the one to actually fear. He's a black market racketeer and any day he can start a war."

"I must bring an end to all of this."

"Oh, by the way sir, you're on the news!", says Alfred as he presses a button of the Batcomputer. The screen starts broadcasting the live programme of Gotham City News Network. It shows that few thugs have been arrested by the GCPD in the morning. They report that one of the thugs claims that he was beaten down by a giant man sized bat. 

Alfred turns at Bruce and says, "I heard Hill, Loeb, Maronis and the Falcones are going to have a dinner party tonight at the Hill Mansion."

Bruce looks at Alfred and says, "It's now or never!"

Meanwhile in the Sionis Industries, the man who was caught earlier by Gordon and Harvey is being dragged into the main control room of the industry. He shivers in fear as he looks at the dangerous men in the room. One of them holds a big flamethrower and threatens to burn him by pulling the trigger a little. A man in a white coat stood still facing the wall. He turns back at the man. He looks up to the man in the white coat. The man had a black mask on his face. The man picks his courage and stands up.

"There was nothing I could do, boss. They threatened to kill my family!"

Black Mask chuckles and says, "I know...I know what it's like to lose a family. I know you had no other choice. But my plan was going well. My vengeance was on it's way to be succeeded but then you...you screwed things up and you know what? I hate people who do that."

Black Mask pulls out his gun and shoots in his head. 

"Clean this mess!", he says as he sits down in his chair.

He turns to the man with the flamethrower and asks, "Lynns, what's the latest news?" 

The man is Garfield Lynns, a gangster recruited by Black Mask few months back. 

"Maronis and Falcones are going to have a dinner party at the Hill Mansion today. But you don't want to strike them today. We should strike on Satrday, when Falcone's children go to make a deal with Penguin."

"Where?", he asks.

"The Gotham City Circus."

"Kill his wards and make him suffer. Like he did to you!"

The sun sets down in the west. The city goes quiet within few hours. Everybody goes to sleep. That is the time when all the evil takes place in Gotham. The night is the perfect time for Gotham's filth to rise. But not today. Gordon leaves sits in his office with Harvey sitting next to him. 

"Anyone can do it, Jim. Thugs fear you!", Harvey says.

"But they don't hate me."

"Look, Jim. It's almost midnight. I'm going home. I'll drop you home."

"No, I'm fine. I can go by myself."

"No, you can't! You're not safe here!"

"No one is, Harvey!", Gordon pauses him. "You go home safely...", he continues, "I can go by myself."

Gordon leaves an hour later. He doesn't drive home today. He turns the car to downtown. He stops near Detective Flass home. Flass is supposed to leave home in the midnight. He goes to the club every night to his girlfriend. He waits outside for awhile. 

Meanwhile, Bruce is at the Hill Mansion. He looks climbs the balcony where the dinner is taking place. He tries to listen to the conversation. 

"Tonight, we celebrate the friendly alliance we've been maintaining with Carmine's family!", says Salvatore Maroni as he raises his glass of wine in the air. 

Carmine doesn't look happy and neither do his children, Sofia and Mario. It is no surprise Carmine does business with the Maronis only because his father made an alliance with them. The families never saw eye to eye with one another. 

Salvatore continues to speak, "Mayor Hill here has had quite the influence in keeping the alliance strong." 

Hill smiles and raises his glass of wine.

"What about James Gordon?", Carmine asks in a concerned tone.

"He's been taken care of...", says Loeb, "He wouldn't bother us anymore."

Hill stands up and cuts the serious conversation. "Let's toast ourselves on this day!", he exclaims.

Bruce readies his EMP and waits for the perfect moment.

While he waits, on the other hand Gordon waits in front of Flass' home. He watches Flass leave his home. Flass kisses his wife and leaves. Gordon follows him. He finds a perfect isolated spot to do his thing. He speeds up the car and hits Flass' car sideways. The car tumbles upon and hits a tree. Flass is injured. He crawls out of his car and looks up at Gordon as he holds a baseball bat. Flass is shocked and stunned. He does not know what to do next. Gordon raises his bat and starts to beat him up.

Meanwhile at the Hill Mansion, the dinner host and guests sits to dine. Bruce activates his EMP. The building blacks out he throws in a smoke bomb and turns on his night vision. The men stare at his glowing eyes. They are frightened.

"Ladies and gentleman..", he says. "You have eaten well. You have eaten Gotham's wealth and it's spirit. Your feast is nearly over. It is about time you've tasted...fear!"

He knocks down everyone in the room. He holds Salvatore in his neck and takes details of their future business and deals. He instills fear in the men's hearts and leaves. 

On the other hand Gordon knocks down Flass to the ground and leaves.

 


	7. Hope

"Gotham is at the verge of a war. The underworld will now start their attack anytime soon!", says Alfred.

"I've taken care of Maroni and others...", says Bruce, "I've persuaded Salvatore to tell the truth publicly or his life is is in danger."

"Well...", Alfred pauses for a while and switches the Batcomputer to a news channel frequency.

The news reports the arrest of Loeb, Hill and Carmine after the testament Salvatore gave to the GCPD. The reports also states the sightings of the mysterious vigilante named 'Bat-Man'. People's hearts are filled with doubts. They are afraid of the city's future.

Alfred continues to say, "You put a fear in their hearts. That's good. The city deserved it but somebody needs to give the people hope."

Bruce looks back at the news. The reporters interview Detective James Gordon. He breathes in deeply. "I'm not going to do it alone..", he says, "I need an ally. I need James Gordon."

Bruce runs his daily daytime routine and waits for the sun to set.

It is evening, Gordon stands on top of the GCPD building. He takes out his lighter and lights the cigarette in his mouth. He continues smoking while Bruce sneaks behind him.

"Detective?", he asks in a deep voice.

Gordon is scared and his reflexes are triggered. He turns back quickly pulling out his gun. He sees a big bat like figure in the dark. His hand shook. Before Gordon could say anything Bruce exclaims, "I need your help."

Gordon picks up his courage and asks, "So you're the bat vigilante, huh? 'Bat-Man'?"

Bruce stays hidden in the dark and says, "I know you want to see good in this city. So do I. Maroni, Falcone, they are nothing and neither is Loeb."

"What do you mean?", Gordon asks.

"The underworld is more powerful. Black Mask is our main threat now. I need you to assault his hideout and bring him down."

"But we don't know where that is."

"I know. Sionis Industries."

Bruce throws a walkie-talkie to Gordon.

"Here..", he says, "Call me through this."

Gordon looks at it for second and turns to ask something but to hit surprise Bruce already left.

 


	8. The War

Bruce readies his gears for the final showdown. He needs to stop Black Mask before he pulls the trigger. Bruce arms himself with every possible techs. 

"Be safe, Master Bruce.", says Alfred.

"I will."

He leaves the Batcave quickly and heads straight to Sionis Industries. He walks in stealthily avoiding noise. He takes down the guards quickly one by one. He reaches for the main control room. He was sure he would find Black Mask. To his surprise there was no one. He started looking around. Suddendly, he was hit in the back by a thug. Bruce was unaffected. He disarms him and knocks him down. Bruce picks up the man by throat.

"Where is he?", Bruce asks deeply and grittily.

The thugreplies, "He-he...i-is headed for the circus."

"Why?"

"To kill Falcone's kids!"

Bruce knocks him unconscious. He expresses disgust. He should have known Black Mask would be planning to attack in a big occassion. Bruce contacts Gordon. 

"Detective! Do you copy?"

"We're on our way!", Gordon replies.

"Tell your units to go to the circus. Black Mask is headed there. He is going to kill the Falcone kids!"

"Alright."

Gordon pauses for a while and commands his units to turn to the circus. With Loeb under arrest Gordon is in charge of commanding the units.

Bruce leaves the industry and heads for the circus. But before any of them could reach. Black Mask and his men had arrived. Black Mask looks around. People are scared seeing creepy looking men in guns.

"Look around! Find them!", he commands his men.

He turns at Garfield and says, "You! You burn them!"

The circus turns into a chaos. Black Mask's men look around firing and shooting bullets. Black Mask enters the main circus tent and fires aimlessly. The Flying Graysons, a renowned circus family are performing among them. John Grayson and Mary Grayson takes few shot. The young teenage Dick Grayson watches as Black Masks murders his parents. He looks at his parentsl lifeless body as they lie on the ground. Black Mask looks around but yet he could not find either of Falcones children. The GCPD arrives in few moments. A mass shooting takes place between Black Masks men and the GCPD. Garfield finds out Mario and Sofia Falcone. Before either could pull a trigger. Garfield burns them both. He look at their burnt bodies and laughs maniacally.

Bruce arrives at the scene a while. The GCPD has cleared the area. The shooting continues. Bruce finds out Black Mask. 

"Stop it!", he says.

"Oh. So you're the Bat-Man, huh?", asks Black Mask, "You can't stop me!", he continues. "Vengenance is on it's way!"

Bruce gets imapatient. He disarms him quickly. They both engage in a duel. Punches and kicks thrown to each other. Finally, Bruce was able to knock him down. Black Mask's tears off. Bruce looks at his face. It seemed familiar. He recalls the profile of the Sionis Family that Alfred showed him.

"Who are you?", he asks. 

"I am the one that seeks vengenance", he replies.

"Roman Sionis...", he says. "Why are you doing this?", he asks.

"I'm not Roman Sionis. He died years back. Falcone killed him. This city killed him. I am here to pay back!"

"Why all these gang wars then?"

"Because, I want to be the king!", he exclaims maniacally. "I am the one they would fear!"

Bruce looks at him for a while leaves him be. Gordon arrives few moments later and arrests him. Bruce checks around to see if there are civilians. He finds out the Grayson kid sitting next to the lifeless bodies of his parents. Bruce is triggered. He is reminded of his past. He leaves the circus silently.

Bruce gets back to his Batcave. He reports the incident to Alfred.

"There is no hope in this city!", Bruce exclaims.

Alfred tells him, "I know you saw your past in that kid. This is a bad city. Not everyone follows the good path."

"What do you mean, Alfred?", ask Bruce. 

"When you lost your parents. You wanted to make this city a better place. Rather make the world a better place. I don't know what you did at Nanda Parbat but I do know. You picked the right path. Your parents will be proud."

Bruce closes his eyes as it started to fill with tears.

Alfred takes a deep breath and says, "That kid might not choose the correct path."

Bruce looks at Alfred in a confused face.

"Take him in...", he says. "Take his responsiblity. Start small and make this world a better place."

The next day is a changed day. The sun shines bright. People in the city are shocked and traumatised by the incident last night. People mourn for the loved ones they have lost. People are walking the streets in fear. Bruce visits the home of Dr. Leslie Thompkins. She was the one that took in Bruce and counseled him when he lost his parents. This time Bruce visited her to greet Dick Grayson. 

"I can see why you are here, Mr. Wayne...", says Leslie.

Bruce stops her and corrects her, "Please. Call me Bruce."

They both talk to each other about Dick for a while.

Finally Bruce tells her, "I want to take guardianship of him."

Leslie did not hesitate. She knew Bruce could take care of him because he has suffered the same past as Dick. 

Meanwhile in the GCPD, Gordon has been promoted to lieutenant. He took an oath to free this city and he is determined to. The underworld is still active. Penguin recruits Black Mask's men including Garfield. He promises them wealth and luxury. Only Heroes can take down the evil.  Heroes know what it takes. The city needs heroes. The world...needs heroes! 

 

**Author's Note:**

> This was my first time writing a fan fiction. Hope to get good reviews.


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